HC slams Delhi government

Embroiled in a controversy for recommending parole for Jessica Lall murder convict Manu Sharma, the Sheila Dikshit government came in for stern criticism from the Delhi high court on Tuesday for not abiding by established guidelines in dealing with similar pleas of other convicts.

Hearing a parole plea by Sumer Singh, a former police constable convicted in the high-profile Connaught Place shootout case, justice Kailash Gambhir observed, “Already this court has given direction that parole applications moved by convicts be given due priority and the same be decided within a period of 10 days and it appears that the directions given by this court are being implemented more in violations than in compliance.”

Singh has sought a parole of three months to file an appeal in the Supreme Court against his conviction, on the ground that his family members are illiterate.

The court directed the Delhi home secretary to personally appear before it to explain the government’s delay in dealing with parole applications moved by convicts. It also asked the government to submit details of such applications received so far.